In the most recent National Education Technology Plan, gaming was named as an ideal method of assessing student knowledge comprehension. This is because games provide immediate performance feedback to the players. Students are engaged because they are motivated to do better, get to the next level, compete against other players, and succeed. Proponents also note the productive role of play that allows for experimentation and even mistakes without significant negative consequences. --NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition

Purposes of formative assessment include:
  • Gauging student current level of skill and need,
  • Encouraging collaboration and self-direction,
  • Monitoring progress,
  • Checking for understanding and encouraging metacognition, and
  • Demonstrating understanding.

Reason Racer provides students with immediate feedback on their performance and monitors progress. Each player must answer a question correctly before moving to the next question and will receive corrective feedback at the end of the game. Because this is a game and the students are highly motivated to compete against their peers, students quickly learn to pay attention to the questions and answers. Making mistakes slows down play.

Reason Racer also provides teachers with performance data on each student as well as an overall picture of the class’s performance. The teacher can access this information for each Pit Stop. This provides in depth information on students’ misconceptions and progress in each component of argumentation. Teachers can access information that allows them to assess their students’ performance while learning is in progress, to gain information about their developing understanding so that instruction can be adapted.

Additional reading:
  1. Furtak, E. M. (n.d.). Formative Assessment in K-8 Science Education: A Conceptual Review. (external image pdf.pngFormative Assessment in K-8 Science ed..pdf)
  2. WestED (2008). Formative Assessment: At the Center of Effective Science Instruction. Found at http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/feat/165